


Tonguekissers

by curateipsum



Category: The Amazing World of Gumball
Genre: A whole new world~, Anxiety, Deadass there’s a new society and shit, Depression, Dramatic, GUMROB, Gay, Homosexual, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Poorly written, ROBBALL, Spoilers!, Takes place after “The Inquisition”, The Void, Trauma, thanks to my Instagram friend giolato, you don’t need to be a writer to write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 17:10:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19300120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curateipsum/pseuds/curateipsum
Summary: “He knew Rob wasn’t homophobic, but he didn’t know if he liked men. This was all going a little fast-which would’ve been all fine and dandy had he been Elmorian Gumball-but now he was Voidian Gumball, and life was one big plank walk.”In a poorly written story about life after “The Inquisition”, a now teenaged Gumball struggles to cope with his leading role in a forsaken environment, as well as his unorthodox sexuality. GUMROB.Might trigger some people: underage sexual activity, mental illness. ON HIATUS.





	1. Chapter 1

“Is everybody tonguekissing?” His father asked him.

They were taking a calm-down drive in their mustard family wagon after another one of Gumball’s...outbursts, to describe it mildly. He certainly felt less out of control now, but he was still uneasy. His father was behaving more solemnly than he had ever before during his childhood, and he’d been doing it a lot lately. Just driving. Gumball supposed The Void had that effect on everyone.

Gumball himself could definitely be lumped into that category.  
It was like being shoved out of a fucking tower. 

“I mean, they might be. But it’s probably dumb easy, here,” Gumball answered, watching as his static shoulder pooled over the remaining blue fur of his paw. He played with it like mud or rain. “Nothing to do, no real pressures.” 

“Not that I’m tonguekissing.” Affirmed Gumball quickly.

“Oh, it was a big deal when I was your age.” Richard mused, drumming his fingers on the wheel of static. “Everyone just wanted to tonguekiss.”

“Dad, I think it’s called ‘French kissing.’”

“Have you been researching?”

“Researching what?”

“Well, I was just curious as to why you know so much about tonguekissing.”

“It’s common knowledge.” Gumball protested, shrinking noticeably in his seat. He looked out the window into all the colors and static. “Geez.”

“You know, son, I hope you aren’t mistaken thinking I believe you when you act repulsed.” Richard hummed, rolling his ‘r’ in his funny way. He rose his pinkie finger up. “Nope, I don’t believe you! And I don’t think you’re being fair to yourself by shunning such natural things...”

“That’s an impressively careful analysis,” Gumball noted, his head in his hand. “For you, I mean.”

Richard harrumphed lightly, focusing on the drive again. “All I’m saying is that it’s normal to want to tonguekiss, tonguekissing is nice. Penny isn’t the only girl in The Void, I hope you know.”

“Dad...” Gumball whined.

“It’s been a long time since you broke up...” Richard cried patiently. “You’re going to be fifteen and you’re still-“

“Dad, I’m turning SIXteen.”

“Same difference. You’re turning sixteen, and you and Penny haven’t been together since not so long after we got here!” Richard made a turn, brushing his tie with his arm. “I’m just worried you’re missing out. Your mother is especially worried.”

“Of course.” Gumball sung his realization, folding his arms over his chest. “Mom put you up to this. You’re just vomiting her instructions.” 

“Hey, that’s not true!”

“I dunno, Dad.” Gumball snickered. “Has The Void changed you so?”

“Son...”

“Will the brain of Richard Watterson be thus polluted?*” He snorted, quoting their book from school.

“Gumball, please...” His father gazed at him dolefully. “Please try not to be so difficult! Things are already difficult as it is. Just think about what I’m trying to get at here.”

Gumball was thinking too much, all at once, to bother assembling a response. 

•••

They arrived home for dinner, Gumball jumping and slapping the clock to get it up to speed. 

Sometimes time and people literally froze in The Void. 

His family was sitting at the table, and he hurriedly ran around, as if playing a hyper game of duck-duck-goose, bringing them out of their frozen state. 

The static rippled around his little sister first. “I expect that new invention I’ve been telling you about will be ready soon.” Anais said, proceeding to cut her chicken nonchalantly. “It’ll be really useful to keep that from happening.” 

“I agree, sweetie,” Richard smiled. “It’ll certainly stir some excitement in town, eh?”

“Come sit down, honey,” his mother said to him, soundlessly spooning her mashed potatoes into her mouth. “Before the food gets cold!” 

He listened.

“Darwin was telling us about the little situation today.” 

“Yeah, I’m so glad we’re almost out for summer.” In spite of the fact it would just be dodging horrible gatherings at the party house and playing video games. But it wasn’t like he ever had that much excitement during summertime, anyway.

Darwin cleared his throat. “Well I just was telling Mom how our schoolhouse was a wreck because someone sprayed mace, and we had to evacuate for a period while they cleaned it up.” 

“Yeah, we all just sat outside the schoolhouse, hoping for an early vacation.” Gumball nodded, gripping the table and sighing. “It was cool to get out of geometry. Still kinda wanted to know who started it, though.”

“It was probably one of your friends.” Anais huffed. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” 

After supper, Gumball’s mother pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“I hope you feel better.” She said of his breakdown, and left. That’s all she ever really said.

Gumball went to work on the dishes with his little brother. He poked at the static plates, watching as the food vanished and the water poured through them.

He and Darwin did their usual ritual of untying each other’s schoolhouse ribbons-plain green-that marked which broken half of their previous school they belonged to. Darwin was timidly rambling, but Gumball wasn’t registering it. 

“I think it would be nice.” 

“Hm?” Gumball had clearly not been listening, much to his little brother’s vexation. 

“I was talking about Rob.”

“Ohh.” Gumball smiled to himself, half-heartedly admiring the sink glitch through the growing fog. “Why, what’s up with him? He’s working for the Parham’s right? Might not be so twiggy!”

“Yeah, they’re re-building their ‘little mansion’ into a monster mansion. And it won’t have any static.” Darwin set a handful of forks into a compartment, ignoring Gumball’s commentary. He spoke like it was an enviable feat, to have no static, laying their ribbons down on the countertop.

“I wasn’t aware static was for peasants.” Remarked Gumball, his back to the window.

“Well, none of us like it.” 

Gumball shook his head. “Anyway, what of Rob?”

“Dude. He’s helping build the new hous-“

“No, I know that,” Gumball interrupted. “I mean, what were you saying before the shit about the Parham’s?”

“Right.” Darwin said. “I was trying to communicate that after all this time, they’re finally letting him come back to school.”

“Rob? Back to school?”

“Yeah, and he’s gonna have a lot of catching up to do...” Darwin’s mouth seemed to loop as he said ‘do.’ “Academically and socially. So I was just thinking, you know, maybe we could help him out.”

“We’re gonna help him?” Gumball asked critically. “Right. I can see the article. Wild Wattersons Befriend and Tutor Seventeen Year Old Orphan. Think they’ll make us a new charm?”

“Come on, we’re decent students. We’re pulling through.” Darwin was going to fight him. “Yeah we were wild kids, but people know us. It would be nice!”

“Loads of things would be nice, Darwin,” Gumball murmured nihilistically. “But that doesn’t mean we can go around jumping at the chance to do them like we used to.”

Darwin swallowed that thought, fidgeting with the black bracelet his girlfriend had gifted to him. “It’s not so bad here, Gumball. Plus it’s not like I’m saying we can save the dolphins or have riots or anything. It’s just Elmore, after all.”

“No, Darwin. It’s not Elmore.” Gumball said, eyeing his static shoulder, as if suspicious of it. “It’s The Void.”

“Well, it’s not just about academics,” Darwin continued. “We need to get him to interact with other people. We owe the guy. Say, maybe we could even get him a girlfriend or something to cheer him up.

I really think it’s time we talk to Rob about everything, Gumball; everything.” He spoke gently. “Not just about his plan from years ago, but about helping him out of his...dark hole. And the opportunity has practically fallen at our feet, man! It’s a sign!”

“So how do you expect to get him a girlfriend?” Laughed Gumball, licking his lips.

“Stop laughing.” Darwin said. “Just because you and Penny didn’t work out doesn’t mean other people can’t find happiness.” 

That was probably a bad move.

“You’re putting thoughts into my head.” Gumball mumbled gravely. “This seems like a job fit more for you and Alan, than you and me.”

“But you know Rob better than we do,” Darwin insisted, rolling his eyes. “You guys have existing chemistry. Yeah, sure, it may be malevolent, and dangerous, but it’s a start!”

Gumball smirked bittersweetly.

“Alright, you get going on that love ploy-“ He finally said, wiping his hands on a rag, “and I’ll take care of Rob. Get some answers, maybe.”

“This late?” Darwin asked, but his brother had already charged out the door.

•••

Naturally, Gumball had seen Rob since they’d been swallowed into limbo. Sometimes he would just be moping around the school center, disappearing between the school houses and the stores that came before the static clearing. It was pretty sad.

They never spoke, not ever even once; so he was surprised to hear Rob had snatched that job as a worker for Felicity Parham, though again, he should’ve figured Rob would be keeping busy. What else could he do? Gumball’s mother always said work could help distract one very well, so it was logical. Far as Gumball knew, Rob didn’t have any friends or relationships. Which must’ve sucked, but Gumball had been wrapped up in dealing with his own shit. Everyone had been. And most likely, Rob wasn’t exactly dying to interact with Gumball, either. But that wouldn’t stop him. Truth be told, he was curious about Rob, and what had been going on with him all these years.

He passed the school houses, behind them sitting the majority of The Void before they had arrived. It was more laborious to walk (or rather, jump) around there, but people did, and what they did there, they intended to be private. Gumball heard loads of stories, so typically avoided the region. 

Now that Gumball was thinking about it, it seemed like a good place for a recluse to spend time and make camp. 

He mulled over what he’d heard about that closed-off part of home. The disco floor was where people bartered, and beyond that, there was an untouched living house. Gumball figured It was as good a place as any to start. 

He made a lamely flawless leap over to the little floating island, clutching his phone. Gumball looked around, not feeling up for mindless social interaction. Fortunately, no one else appeared to be present.

In his socks and sliders, he traversed the pathway up to the house. It was very similar to his own, and eerily enough, was not staticky. It had a dopey face plastered by the roof, but that was the only apparent difference. He wondered if  
it was alive. He didn’t dare study it.

Instead, Gumball peered through the window, glimpsing furniture and darkness. He might as well knock since he was here. 

That was when he realized Rob probably wasn’t used to knocks. He would probably dismiss it as something rolling by, or something else conveniently ‘out there’ enough that it seemed plausible. So Gumball decided to pull a bit of a Goldilocks and simply walk inside. Wouldn’t be the first time he impersonated a fairy tale character...  
He thought of Penny and impulsively whacked himself on the side of his head. He physically-symbolically shook all the gloom out of himself, and walked inside trying to seem almost untouchable. 

The inside of the house also looked like his place, only messier and again, lacking static. The photos and even the couch were identical, only coated in darkness, and the pictures were crooked. It felt lonely, too; vacant in soul and in presence. Maybe Rob wasn’t here. Could anyone live in such desolate coldness? 

He heard a screeching clamor overhead, up the steps. Like the springs of a bed. Maybe Rob was using his bed like a bouncy castle. 

Gumball patted the Swiss Army knife he kept in his sweatshirt pocket, just in case. It wasn’t exactly a gang thing, but all the guys in his schoolhouse carried them.

Cautiously, he ascended the steps, his nocturnal vision helping the situation. His eyesight wasn’t as sharp during the day, that was a cat thing; and it was nice not having to squint when you were already tense with anticipation of...what? 

Of something. Perhaps startling something, and getting startled yourself.

He craned his neck to the right to see his bedroom door-only without the gooey stickers of its occupants’ names. It was slightly parted, like lips. Gumball inched towards it, adjusting his gray sweats.

On his final step, his ears perked at the sound of a soft, twisty moan. 

Of fucking course. He should’ve figured. Gumball himself would usually be jerking off at this hour too, before he’d taken his dumb pledge and actually stuck with it. 

He should have waited until after school tomorrow-that would’ve been a more reasonable time to strike. But he didn’t really think to harness his impulses. 

Gumball snickered shortly and quietly, deciding to poke his head in out of curiosity. And you know what? He’d walked all this way. Now was as fine a time as ever. Fuck what Rob was up to. This was The Void, where masturbation and cussing were possible. He meant business, for his little brother, and-

Blowing his bangs from his eyes, his breath caught in his throat uncomfortably at the sight before him. He really should’ve thought this possibility through. He overestimated his chastity.

Indeed there was Rob, bathing in the limelight of an open window of static. He was lounging in the bottom bunk, his jerking popsicle legs spread openly to reveal what seemed like a daunting, unfair amount of length and girth. 

Gumball’s mind was spinning staring at ‘it’, and not the typical dopamine-needing, inattentive type of spinning. 

He tried to organize his thoughts, licking his lips as he found himself gazing longingly at Rob’s grunting face.

Okay okay. 

Question one: why was Rob’s dick a cock? God, he’s huge.

Question two: why did it have to look so mouthwateringly appetizing? It was perfect! The tip was like a devil’s tail over the shaft, and it was so neat you could’ve found it on a Bridal Shower party product at Spencer’s.

That was a pretty notable (and totally not relevant) downside to The Void. Gumball found out he wasn’t straight.

He didn’t like to think about it enough to wonder about any label. But there was just no denying it, and as Rob’s stroking got faster and his moaning breathier, Gumball was at a loss for what to do next. He felt like he was engulfed by the freezing-in-time static, and his dick was hardening and protruding through his sweats. He felt it, even in his stupor, but he rationalized that it would be wrong to touch it. He should be leaving. 

Why wasn’t he leaving, then? Maybe it was because he hasn’t masturbated in so long, and all because he swore it off as a stupid pledge for Silvergate...

Watching pre-cum begin to slip and shudder out of Rob made Gumball’s mouth feel restless. What could he compare it to? It wasn’t glossy like milk, it was much stickier. 

Definitely stickier. 

Betraying his pledge with a wicked, humiliating gladness, he forced his hand into his sweats, yanking out his hardening penis. He began to stroke it, containing his audible breathing by biting his lips and focusing on the show.

This was so wrong. He shouldn't be watching him-what was he even thinking, coming in here? He was such a moron! 

Gumball sighed, imagining guiding his cat tongue over Rob, feeling the strong rigidness of his long member...tasting him, sucking pre-cum from his tip, Rob’s hands on his head...or even better, guiding Rob’s dick inside him...Awh, god, that was really what Gumball needed...he felt pathetic, watching and whimpering like a whore in the dark.

His own seed wound up all over his boxers, and as Rob stirred, he successfully (and uncomfortably) bolted out of the house. 

•••

“Pat him down.”

“You’re being paranoid.” Gumball hated the way in which the forces demonized him and his peers. Especially the Silvergate kids. Not that Julius or Ocho made it easier on everybody else.

When they’d all been forced into The Void, they had immediately cornered the cartoon’s only criminals (such as Sal Left Thumb) and put them away. But then the officers had nothing to do, and trying their best to avoid the notion of an uneasy, bottomless fate, they were often patrolling the streets with great intensity.

They twisted his school ribbon wrist lightly, making a note of the color and numerous charms, and began patting him down from top to bottom. The burger officer felt up his knife at his side, and carefully picked it out from its cover. 

“He has a knife, Sheriff.”

“Sheriff.” Gumball echoed, scoffing. “I wasn’t misbehaving, Sheriff.”

“A knife’s suspicious, boy,” Officer Donut snarled, gritting his teeth. 

“Well we’ve all got them. All the guys.” Gumball blurted, writhing as two police officers locked him in with their arms. “I wasn’t DOING anything! It’s just a custom!” 

“This town has an eleven o’ clock curfew, where were you headed?” Gumball sweated more, remembering and feeling naughty. “What were you doing?”

“I was visiting my friend.” Gumball answered immediately. “And I’m wearing my ribbon like I’m supposed to, see?”

“Where was this friend?”

“Over in the draft house.” 

“The draft house?”

“I was visiting Rob.” Gumball shouted impatiently. “You know, so-called Superintendent Evil? He was sleeping, so I left.”

“The tall boy?”

“He works for the Parham’s! Honest!” Gumball coughed.

“Mister Watterson,” Donut interrupted, disinterestedly tutting. “Citizens of this community are only allowed out this late for occasions at the party house.You should know that.”

“I lost track of time. Honest. It’s kind of hard when there’s no sun or moon.” Gumball kicked about, the air whipping him smelling humid and metallic. “Just take me back home, I’m tired.”

For a moment, Donut was silent. Seeming as if disappointed, he sighed. “I’m confiscating the knife, and letting you off with a warning.” 

“Thank you, Officer.” The men released Gumball, and he massaged his aching biceps. He shifted awkwardly, the cum in his pants still drying. 

“We’ll escort you home.”

Obediently he nodded, a rhombus of officers forming around him as they began the hike up to the Watterson’s. His head throbbed with questions and timid desires all the way there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s gonna get good. That’s it.

The next day, all the schoolhouses were evacuated because of a smoke issue. All the different ribbons were everywhere, hoping this meant an early vacation (and all agreeing that their upcoming vacation was providing for more mischief.)

“OKAY, WHO DID IT?” Banana Joe screamed, flailing his thin arms and laughing through the crowd. “WHO DID IT?”

Darwin pushed past him towards his older brother, who was gazing around mutely. He gripped Gumball’s shoulder. “Did you find Rob?”

“He was asleep.” Gumball stated rapidly, not removing his gaze from his phone screen. Darwin brushed this off as fatigue, or his brother’s typical evasive moodiness.

“Well remember what we talked about, ok?” He hoped he was alright, and he started bantering with some of the other guys.

As for Gumball, he had stayed up later than usual, like some poor bastardly insomniac: he masturbated and orgasmed three times that night, and spent hours fading aimlessly through social media platforms. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been sex crazed before, but this time it felt different. Usually he desperately avoided gay pornography. Had he really been neglecting himself so much all this time? He felt like he was being watched and like everyone could tell, like his deeds were written on his face. 

“Dude, I saw you last night.” Tobias Wilson, who was also part of his schoolhouse and so boasted the Green ribbon, approached him hawkishly. “What happened?”

“Went out to see someone, got captured.” Snorted Gumball. “They confiscated my Swiss, too.”

“Ass.” 

“I know.”

“You should know better though,” Tobias smirked, Alan Keane coming behind him. “They’re totally hardcore about the curfew.” 

“I have to agree with Tobias,” admitted Alan, his Purple-covered knot twisting as if in thought. “It seems a little unnecessary.”

Tobias and Gumball started a little float like a butterfly, sting like a bee routine, just as the bells sounded. Everyone chorused in groaning. They were really hoping they’d be dismissed.

Gumball and Tobias linked arms. 

“Guys, can I ask you something?” 

“What is it?” Tobias asked as the other kids began to file into their respective buildings. Other Silvergate students began to join them in the center.

“Isn’t it weird that in Elmore, we didn’t know about sex,” Gumball whispered. “But the first week we got here, we were humping everything and we knew it all?”

Alan cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t say we were-“

“That’s so true.” Interrupted Tobias. “I love it. But dude, you never talk about sex.”

Alan opened his mouth again. “Well, I hardly think that that is something to chastise him f-“

“Awh, I guess I don’t,” mumbled Gumball, untangling himself from Tobias and stuffing his paws into his pockets. “I don’t know. Just came to me.”

They started play fighting again until Principal Brown came to escort them to the party house for Silvergate hours. 

•••

Rob heard the bells sound in unison by the school “courtyard”, as they did every morning. They’d be even louder in his ears when he was a student again, after having not been one for the longest time, waiting on the gravel with all the others to enter. He rubbed his brow, sleep leaving his eyes.

He yawned, arching his long back, the last person on his mind last night seeping into his unrelenting conscious yet again. 

That last person was Gumball Watterson. The star of the show, and he probably still didn’t completely understand that his life was all fake up until now; that he was just a puppet simply sewn together with all the things a good child’s protagonist needed. Clever, but stupid; Critical, but funny; Optimistic, and adorable enough that the older viewers could sexualize him. Gumball was the epitome of boyhood, the poster-child for mischief and mayhem. But his voice wasn’t even his own, and Rob doubted he was half the troublemaker he was before. 

Gumball didn’t seem so ‘adorable’ anymore, not that Rob had ever excessively dwelled on his features until earlier this month. The little blue cat was going to be sixteen, and he wasn’t a cheeky little kid, no sir-he was a sexy teenage guy. Gumball really did something to Rob, the thought of his dimples showcased at him and the thought of leaving kisses along his jawline, drove him crazy. Absolutely. And their chaotic history only fueled Rob’s fantasies. 

But the simple notion of having Gumball (having Gumball? Lord) rolled around like vinegar in both Rob’s heads, making him tighten in unease. The pictures his mind produced deeply unsettled him, pushing Rob out of his comfort zone and more, no matter how attractive they were. He wasn’t accustomed to seeing Gumball the way he had been-seeing anyone the way he had been!-lately, and it was frightening. It was frightening to imagine Gumball’s lips on his body, and Rob hated to feel so goddamn vulnerable. 

He fidgeted nervously with his hands, seated at the foot of the bed, just trying to get a grip on himself. At least he was hidden here, and no one knew. 

Still, all alone, he was lonely, and he was incredibly bored. His chest heaved.

Briefly, Rob peered out the window. He snatched up his binoculars, returned, and watched as the last of the students flooded into school. His eye lingered on the slowly moving cluster of students who were going to Silvergate-a kind of behavioral aid period-for the morning. Gumball Watterson was among them, but Rob had never dared go close enough to see what was going on. Again, until back in the very beginning of June. 

He had work soon, and that was when he would pass the center of the schoolhouses, up to the multi-purpose party house where the Parham’s lived by. He grumbled to himself, thinking of having to put up with little Billy when he got back from school later. 

Rob was supposed to be meeting with Mr. Small for an official rundown of his imminent puny school career. The faculty was well aware it was a late start, and an almost unnecessary one, as there were no colleges in Elmore: but they insisted that a child should be in school, and Rob knew they were right. He was actually almost thankful for a second chance at a life, but he feared his past would inhibit all progress. 

There was a lot going on right now, when there hadn’t been in a very long time. 

Rob grabbed his knapsack and headed downstairs to pack for his day.

•••

By lunch, he was admiring the slow but steady progress of the new Parham estate- a brilliant lime color. This place would really be an estate. Nowadays a lot of the homes were all called estates, and people busied themselves with naming them, even if they were ugly. This was all because after the move to The Void, the homes were all far from each other. So it felt as if everyone had their own land, like it was the country. The Parham’s current place was called - and the new mansion with its new land would be called -

He leaned back to admire it for a moment, wiping sweat from his brow. 

“Hi, Rob.” 

He tightened his hold on the ladder. Rob hesitantly gazed over his skinny shoulder blade, down into the obsidian eyes of none other than Gumball Watterson. When the shorter blue cat hopefully smiled up at him, he seemed to brandish his perfect teeth with an ever-eager smile. It bothered Rob that he took such notice, as Gumball simply sucked on the inside of his cheek for a moment.

Gumball took a step closer, giving Rob on the ladder a one over. “Labor won’t be as often when you’re back in school, huh?” He made that short, goofy Gumball giggle. He threw an arm around the side of the ladder, bringing his body closer. 

“I need to talk with you. Are you shocked?”

Rob shook his head of chestnut hair, his throat dry. “Well I’m surprised, Gumball…”

“That’s fair, we seem to have avoided each other since we got here.” Admitted Gumball, fiddling with the body of his phone. “We’ve been here too long, Rob. I want to catch up.” 

“You do, do you?” Asked Rob grumpily, turning to face him entirely now. He began to descend the ladder with the paint can and roller, and Gumball like the clean freak he sometimes was-moved back carefully. 

“Why the tone?” Gumball pursed his lips, hiding a grin. 

“Because I hate you.” 

“And here I thought saving all of Elmore was more important than me.” 

“Oh, just get lost.” 

“Are you really gonna just dive back into school, eye first?” Chortled Gumball crossly. “Sounds like ‘imprudent’ really is your middle name, though you don’t even have a last one! Dude, Void school and any school is a way of life.” 

“I see.” Gumball folded his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes. 

“You’re just gonna go in raw?” Gumball screeched, putting his hands on his hips. Rob wanted to throttle him for that wording. “It’s a huge ass adjustment. Was for me, and here I am, actually trying to make amends for whatever chip on your shoulder you have in regards to me, and you’re blowing me off for no apparent reason.”

Rob was quiet, his back to Gumball. 

“Well, what’s the concealed reason?” Inquired Gumball impatiently. He took two steps back when Rob fiercely whipped around. 

“I don’t want your help,” Rob growled, pointing his finger into Gumball’s chest. “I don’t want your pity. I don’t want your friendship.” He felt Gumball tense under his touch. For a moment, he felt like his finger was going into Gumball’s body like quick sand, and his eye couldn’t help but travel to his left nipple. 

Gumball’s nose wrinkled, and then undid the motion. “What about Darwin’s then? Everybody likes Darwin. It was his idea. He told me you were joining school again and all, and well of course I don’t remember when you were at school-“

“Just get off the property before I get Miss Parham, Gumball.” Rob muttered, walking right past him and into the shrubbery. 

“Ugh!” Gumball balled his fists, bearing his fangs before stomping off frustratedly in the other distraction. “Fine, be a fucking prick!”

That Rob! God, he was the most stubborn, unagreeable guy on the planet! What had Gumball ever really done to him, anyway? 

He wasn’t one to sit pretty and take anyone’s garbage. He wouldn’t let himself be disrespected like that, and being degraded was the very last thing he needed right now. The very very last thing he needed was more negativity than this shit hole had already provided, and if Rob wasn’t going to cooperate, he could totally just piss off.

Gumball looked over his back, watching Rob begin his labor again. He eyed his cute hexagonal face, and the outline of his skinny ass through his shorts. He thought for a moment, and then proceeded to exit the property.

But god, oh just god-Gumball’s heart was in his throat and he had a visible bounce in his step as he descended down the hill, like a little girl with a popsicle.

It must’ve been that angry gleam in Rob’s eye and the way in which he gnashed his teeth at Gumball that made butterflies swarm him like a new habitat. He was feeling more gaily invigorated than hateful, more interested than turned off. He was such a fucking weirdo, wasn’t he? But it was like they were nemeses again, and it made Gumball want to melt into his arms. It was a weird feeling. 

Gumball was barely able to walk back to Silvergate for lessons to resume, his arousal on a torturous carousel in his head. 

•••

They arrived back at the schoolhouse as the other kids were finishing up lunch, doing their usual march through the gravel. It was time for geometry, Gumball’s least favorite course. 

He glanced at Ocho, the malcontent pouting in the corner of the class as Brown wrote on the board. Gumball’s eyes wandered along the staticky walls, and the old academic photographs. His legs were more restless than usual, and he was scratching at the skin underneath his green school ribbon. 

Julius Oppenheimer Jr. tapped him on his glitching shoulder, a smile adorning his skimpy gray lips. “Want some?” He showcase a filled cup of the boba tea he made and sold. That was Julius’ way of coping, he supposed. 

Gumball checked on Brown, busy with scribbling on the board. “Not a fan.”

“Aw come on! Have you ever really tried it?”

“I don’t think you can ‘ever really’ try something, you either do or you don’t.” Gumball whispered back harshly. 

“Oh come on,” Julius frowned. “It’s no big deal. We’ve been okay for years. Don’t you trust me?” 

“Yeah, drink it.” Cupcake goaded him. Gumball glared thoughtfully into her steel gaze. 

“Here.” Julius outstretched his arm, placing it on Gumball’s desk. “Have it. Our treat for a new customer.”

“Whatever.” Gumball shrugged. He was too bored to resist, so hopefully it tasted alright and quenched his thirst. He took a slightly tentative slip as Brown turned back around, and that was all he heard from the boys behind him. 

He drank more and more, and with each sip, he could feel himself getting heavier, his brain getting lighter...

•••

Late afternoon, and Rob was watching Billy Parham trek up the hill from school, his baby blue ribbon invisible from a distance. He was looking smug as ever, and in spite of his only being an egg, he strutted as if his head was being held high. 

When he arrived, Rob was taking another break for late lunch, sitting with a blanket laid out on the gray sand. 

“Hello, Rob,” he greeted in his foppish voice. “Why is the house not finished yet?” 

“Because it’s not a house, it’s a mansion,” Rob retorted. “And there are only two other guys working on it with me.” He nodded towards a dog guy called Alvie, and Peter Pepperoni.

Billy whimpered. “Ugh, but I would like it to be erect and fully furnished before my birthday.” 

“I’ll try my best.” Rob deadpanned. 

“Good, well, come in for your money when you’ve finished up for the day!” Billy chirped, skipping up the path. “Toodle loo!”

Rob sighed tiredly. 

He couldn’t help but think back to Gumball’s visit during lunchtime earlier that day, finishing off his sandwich. He was upset about it, and he wasn’t good at brushing things off well.

How could Rob be expected to just succumb to him? They hadn’t spoken in so long-they had completely cut each other out-and now Gumball just wanted to force himself right back into Rob’s life. Like he thought it was that easy. It was always just that easy for Gumball to intrude, and push himself into anything he wanted. 

“Prick,” Rob whispered to himself. 

When he looked into Gumball’s eyes, they were all starry and then they were icy. He thought of how this attraction started, wiping jam from his chin with his thumb. 

It was during Silvergate hours in the morning, when Rob was passing the party house to go to the store for paint. Through the clear grand windows, he saw that the kids were in a circle on the ballroom floor, and Gumball was the only one standing tall, looking as if giving a speech or reciting an oath. For a moment Rob watched through the window, but curious as it continued on, he opened the door just enough so that he could go unnoticed and so that he could hear. 

“So that is why,” Gumball was sniggering beneath his words. Rob noticed that the younger children weren’t present. “So that is why, I pledge to not jack off for a month.”

All his friends were cheering him on, cackling to themselves as Mr. Small rolled his eyes. He stroked his hair. “If that’s really the goal you see fit to set for yourself, Mr. Watterson.” 

“Oh, trust me, it is!” Gumball nodded vehemently. “I’m an absolute addict!”

Gumball bowed, then seated himself back down in between Tobias and Darwin, who slugged him playfully in both his shoulders. 

Jack off? Rob said to himself. Gumball jacked off? That was strange to hear. The last time they had spoken, he was an addlebrained twelve year old who didn’t know a single curse word. The revelation put Gumball in a whole new light, although he had never exactly doubted most of these kids were frequent masturbators before. 

But what all this meant was that Gumball (and everyone else) was actually growing up, right here in The Void.

He waited to watch them leave at eleven thirty, and as Gumball energetically flew out the doors, Rob tingled in his shorts.

Soon, he couldn’t get the image of him out of his brain to save his life. It was weird, very weird, how these things happened.

He decided to hurry up and go inside for his payment. 

••• 

Lessons ended, and Alan saw Gumball trudge out of the next building. He barely caught himself as he flopped gracelessly down the small set of steps. 

“Gumball?” Alan floated to him, gritting his teeth in worry as Gumball shuffled past him. 

“Hm?” He fluttered his eyes at him and giggled. Alan protectively wrapped his string around Gumball’s naked wrist. 

“You’re acting funny.”

“You’re actung funny.” Gumball flat-out exploded in laughter, laughter that became tiny and wheezy and raspy just before it ended. “Lemme goooo, god-fuckung faggot-“

“Gumball, what on-“

“Alanh help me.” Gumball babbled, rubbing his hand across Alan’s rubber face slowly.

“I most certainly am!” Alan roared, almost indignant. “What on earth did you take? I need to take you to the station, get a teacher or somethin-“

“Alanh, please.” Gumball shoved his finger over Alan’s mouth, making the other boy screw his eyebrows together perplexedly. “Imeedtotalkwitjyiuu!”

“What about?” He answered, trying to look around for assistance. 

“I’m unhahpyy but now I’m notttt!” Gumball croaked out. “B-but i shud tell youu.”

“Tell me what, Gumball?” 

“I shud tell you, ishud tell you,” Gumball sung a song from “Rent.”

“Now is not the time to sing, Gumball!” Alan hissed panickedly. He usually avoided people who mingled with drugs and stuff like the plague. It brought him anxiety to be responsible for one of them. 

“Come closah.” 

Alan obeyed. Gumball cupped him underneath his chin, but above his knot. 

“Do you-oh remembah what I didh tah you?” 

“What?” 

“Do you remembah in the b-aha-throom?!?”

Alan visibly colored. “Keep your voice down! You’re making it sound like something it wasn’t!” 

“W-whell ish all okay why are you yellingh?” Gumball lamely brushed his hand over Alan’s face. “It has to do with what I’m goingh tah tell yah!” 

Alan’s lips tightened frustratedly. “Which is, Gumball?” 

“I like mehn,” Gumball whispered, slurring his words, wiggling his fingers. “Andimgonan go to go to tha place I know you go.” 

“Be quiet!” Alan flushed heavily. “How do you know about that?”

“How do yuu not know abou dat?”

Alan thrust Gumball off of him. “Okay. I know this isn’t going to go through to myour thick head right now, but if you so much as allude to what you know-“

“Nuhhh don’t be mahd!” Gumball whined drunkenly. “I cahn not scream it. I’m not gun scream et dun worry.”

Alan grabbed pulled him in by his collar, sweating and eyeing the growing number of vacating students. “Shut up!”

“Alanh-“ 

He threw Gumball, who was looking to be in between a laugh and a cry, into the gravel. 

It took Gumball five minutes to regain balance, and to get on his feet again. When he did manage this feat, he hiked to a nearby bus stop, the streets of gravel all dead and empty.

•••

“Always in trouble these boys, and I-“ The burger Officer muted his moose wife’s call. He slowed the vehicle, his body going stiff as he peeked through the window at the upcoming house. “Honey I’m gonna have to call you back.”

Out here? Out here!!! 

“What’s going on?” He stepped out of his vehicle, weak in the limbs from the sight before him. As a person and as a father, it sickened him.

Two kids outside a grimy house, performing fellatio in broad daylight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bye bye bye. I consider myself to be a HIGHLY unique individual. Hope ya’ll enjoyed. do leave a review or favorite or whatever you do on this platform.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Gumball was found at a brothel if you didn’t catch that. Jeepers! IT GETS BETTER I SWEAR OK.

Chapter 3: 

Morning. Morning again. God, fuck morning. Everyone was kind of surprised when Darwin announced that, although they couldn’t really blame him.

Purple and green had physical education together. The majority of Darwin’s schoolmates were jeering at Coach Russo from the corner, taking turns being the most outrageous. Tobias was practicing juul tricks, Banana Joe was exchanging porn recommendations with Ocho and Clayton (the latter of the two was sputtering and foaming at the mouth)...it was a typical scene, Gumball’s missing body the exception.

“I’m not climbing that.” Tobias scoffed, and they all sniggered. They were taking a zero for participation today, but they didn’t care. 

There was a net of rope hanging from the wall, and people were assembling to form a belet team to let Alan up. Darwin narrowed his eyes up at him, trying to make sense of his currently cluttered brain. Last night had been an utter bitch to him. All of him, when they’d gotten the call.

Today was Gumball’s birthday, and he was spending it at the jailhouse with the police because his older brother-Darwin Watterson’s older brother, Gumball Tristopher Watterson-was caught on his knees outside a whorehouse. On his knees outside a whorehouse with some man hooker. 

It obviously bothered him, and for a handful of reasons, none of which Darwin felt guilty for. 

He didn’t know Gumball liked men. As in, had literally no idea. Weren’t people more honest when they were ‘under the influence’? Why wouldn’t Gumball have ever mentioned it? There was supposed to be nothing they ever wanted to hide.  
What if Gumball didn’t like men and had no idea what he was doing? That would kill Darwin.  
What if he had no idea at all about what happened? Darwin had never been drunk himself, and Gumball wasn’t a drinker either, so he had no idea what to expect as possible symptoms/side effects.  
Thinking about his older brother having sex was uncomfortable.  
Gumball was actually spending his sixteenth birthday in jail. Alone.

And no one was asking where Gumball was because they all knew. Everyone knew. Some of his friends were holding off on the gossip, but many of their peers were already talking, and Darwin did not expect the day to end well.

•••

The police station was as gray and sterile as it was when he was a just-turned fifteen year old, and Silvergate was full-time here.

It didn’t feel like some giddy game had been played last night, or some merriness achieved. It felt like a chore had been done away with, like he’d swept the floor and hey, perhaps the more you sweep the less a chore it will be. At least he’d now dabbled in sex, overcome the stupid milestone, gotten it over with. 

Gumball didn’t remember much. He played with his charms, kicking his legs up on a wooden coffee table set before him.

“Well first off, happy birthday, Gumball.” A bald Hot Dog gentleman strolled into the office. Gumball snorted. “I’m Liam. I’m the chief psychologist here at the station.” 

Gumball wanted to ask if he knew that annoying Hot Dog Guy, but he wasn’t feeling alive today.

Liam sat on the couch across from Gumball, and Donut Sheriff entered behind him. 

“I see you have a history of aggression,” The psychologist said tensely, lowering his eyes. Gumball observed his knuckles holding the documents. “But that would come as no surprise to anybody, as your mother was diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder a few years ago.”

Gumball didn’t bother arguing that that was a histrionic diagnosis, and Nicole had been having perhaps the worst week of her life. That was, after all, some days after they’d been swallowed up by The Void.

Donut Sheriff “hmphed.”

“Your old Elmorian files cite numerous...truly myriad...misdemeanors...” The psychologist continued, undeterred by the boy’s silence. “But most of them look like a lack of danger awareness. That would be an attention deficit at play, probably worsened by a late diagnosis and absolutely zero treatment.” 

“Well, it’s not my fault getting doctoring is so expensive.” Gumball snapped. 

“Yes, well, I suppose we could attribute the aggression to your diagnoses. It’s not that rare for young boys with ADHD to display signs of aggression, and have co-occurring disorders.” The psychologist turned to the Sheriff. “It’s also common for affected boys to latch onto misfits. I read you are not involved in drugs, and you have no relation with TWRG?”

Like he was supposed to, Gumball asked, “what’s TWRG?”

“It’s the town gang,” Donut Sheriff explained gravely. “The boys who keep white rosebuds in their pockets. You must know some of them.” 

“No, sir.” Gumball replied.

Liam continued. “Well, your reports from school are fine. You seem well behaved.”

“Yes,” Gumball nodded. “I know I can’t get away with what I did...in...Elmore... anymore. I’m older, too, you know.”

The psychologist started to put Gumball’s papers away. He clicked his tongue. 

“Well I really don’t know why I’m here. My evaluation is the same as it was when everyone first arrived, Sheriff. The kid has an attention deficit and an unstable mental illness.”

The Sheriff shrugged dismissively. “It’s just protocol, but, are you going to ask the kid…?”

Liam nodded, and Donut Sheriff closed his mouth. 

“Gumball, do you remember what happened yesterday afternoon?” The psychologist motioned around the office. “Do you know why you’re here?”

“I was caught on my knees,” Gumball snarled in aggravation, rolling his eyes and gazing tiredly around the room. “What’s the deal?!” 

“Are you proud of that?” The Sheriff asked reproachfully. 

“I don’t know why you have this vendetta against me all of a sudden,” Gumball whispered to him scathingly. “Though I guess you’re not the only one. Either way, I’m not anything-“

“Not ashamed, either.”

“Didn’t say so!” Gumball’s leg shaking became fiercer. He tried a petty, immature tactic. “If you and your guys weren’t ‘busy’ chasing after little misdemeanors, my safety wouldn’t have been endangered in the first place!”

Donut reddened. “Why, you little-“

“I have a point,” Gumball barked. “Let me answer. For real this time.”

“Please, Sheriff,” Liam interrupted. “Go ahead, Gumball.”

“I was given something without my knowledge,” Gumball began. “I’m not much on drinking. Not much on the other stuff, either, but that’s beside the point. I was drunk, and I was upset.” 

“Upset?” The psychologist asked. For some reason Gumball felt like he had perked up. 

“Oh, deeply,” Gumball sung. “So deeply! Well, you know what kids do the cope sometimes. Stupid stuff.”

“Were you actively seeking out the brothel?”

Gumball stiffened. “I had a plan. My friend tried to stop me, I don’t really remember...but evidently he failed.” 

“Do you know the canine man outside with the officer, Gumball?”

Gumball swallowed.

“Not intimately.”

•••

He watched as Alvie trudged in, his gaze downcast and melancholic. 

Walking backwards, Gumball urbanely excused himself. Turning on his heels, he clenched and shivered, taking a tiny break from the tension and stress. 

Glimpsing a water machine and plastic cups, he picked one up and placed it to the wall, wondering how they would tear him apart, what his fate was. Alvie couldn’t have been more than twenty one years old.

When Alvie emerged with the Sheriff and the psychologist, they were leading him away. 

“Where is he going?” Gumball’s urgency startled the sleeping burger Officer who was supposed to be guarding him. He sped after them, anxiously wiggling his fingers. 

“He’s nineteen, Gumball,” The psychologist said. “You’re underaged, and prostituion is illegal, even here. He’s not the only one we’re going to be taking in. The whole brothel’s being dismantled.” 

“He didn’t even want to with me!” Gumball protested. “He hesitated! But I insisted! I remember! I was drunk but-!”

“You were also in a vulnerable state, Gumball, and he still went through with-“ 

“I didn’t even pay him!” Gumball shouted, feeling unusually altruistic. “And I sought him out! What’s MY punishment?”

“Gumball, please,” Liam said sternly. They reached the end of the corridor. “Your family has been contacted and you’ll be put on probation. But this man is being arrested.”

“All for a fucking blowjob?!” Gumball shouted incredulously. 

“Your parents will be here soon, young man,” Donut intervened, pointing his finger at his nose. “I suggest you stop talking so loudly and inappropriately, and try and sit yourself down!” 

•••

Life was shit, and he was only now feeling less fucking hungover. 

Generally? He didn’t even feel like the impulsive guy he had once been. The hyper-social, hyperactive, optimistic clown he was before. Life was kicking his ass that hard, slurping out every jewel of joy in him. All his energy, all his heart. 

Well, quite a big chunk of it.

When he walked into the schoolhouse, everyone in the two little aisles erupted into hushed chatter. He grimaced. This was a nightmare; but imagine Purple, where Masami, Alan, and Leslie all were. Imagine the gossiping taking place there. 

Goddammit, he thought, avoiding the hostile picture of Julius and his TWRG guys clumped together whispering. He had to wonder if they knew the whole truth-they must, right? They were guffawing, no, cackling! They had to know what his mouth had been up to. It made him feel like fairy slime.

“Silence!” Brown slammed his wooden ruler on his desk, making Gumball twitch. He tiredly slid into his seat beside Tobias, not returning the look Darwin was giving him from the left. 

Brown started a horrible speech, his lips pressed tightly together.

“Now listen, students. I will not have rumors flooding my classroom.” Brown inhaled. “It is not our business what your classmates do-“

“We know what he was doing!” Ocho affirmed coolly. “He was doing another twink at the whorehouse!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Gumball roared, standing up from his bench and facing the back. He was so burned up, his body stung. “Another twink? After years of fucking knowing each other and being on decent terms, you call me a fucking twink?”

“Geez, hormonal!” Julius laughed. His friends laughed. Tobias bit his lip, and Darwin was frantically trying to communicate with him.

“Well you were always on the feminine side!” Jamie said. “I’m not surprised some other faggot wanted to tear your ass apart.” 

“Fucking bitch, do I have to fucking make you shut up right now?!” Gumball erupted out of his space, beginning to push his sleeves up. “Because I will fucking do it.”

“Gumball, please!” Brown made his way from behind the desk. He was using that whiny voice of his already, and Gumball was paying him absolutely no mind. “Please don’t make a scene, you’re not acting like yourself. I’ll get Mr. Small to escort you to the party house-“

Paying him no mind, until...

“That’s fucking rich!” Gumball screamed, not meaning to rhyme. “I don’t need Mr. Small! You know what? Fuck all of you! You all hate me for something I didn’t do! You all wanna be bitter and carry knives and you think drugs and callousness are the answer!

Well, they’re not my fucking answer, and I’m out! Fuck you! Suck my fucking dick, every single fucking one of you!”

“Gumball!” Brown shouted panickedly as Gumball stomped towards the door, taking only his phone with him. The other kids all turned around and gaped.

“And you fucking know what?” Gumball flung himself back around, putting his hood over himself. “You fucking know what? I didn’t even PAY for what I got! I got more than any of you sorry cabbageheads ever do, because you’re all gross as shit! And so what if I like that? I still could fucking pull all your brains like silly string outta your ears with my bare fists!”

Darwin and Tobias blinked a couple of times as he vanished behind the corner.

Gumball returned for a final word. “And we were supposed to be fucking CALIFORNIAN.”

He disappeared behind the back corner again, and then the doors audibly swung shut. His brother stared at the floor.

“Don’t go after him,” Darwin mumbled, grabbing Brown’s shoulder as he tried to follow him up the aisle. “He’ll cool down.” 

•••

“Hey asshole,” Gumball called, finishing his walk up the hill. “You ever hear of a dude called Voltaire?”

“Excuse me?”

Standing above him was Gumball, looking pissed off and confident. Rob stood up, putting his lunch down, and then towered over him-6’3 over Gumball’s adorable 5’7. 

Gumball swallowed, promising himself to persevere, although he was truly nervous. 

He harrumphed. Nailed it. “He wrote your first English assignment. It’s called Candide. It’s a satire.” He tossed a thin cerulean book at Rob. “We read it freshman year. Everyone despised it.”

Rob noted a certain bite in his voice. “You okay? Isn’t it early to be out and bothering me?” 

Gumball smirked, stepping closer and making Rob’s heartbeat skyrocket. “I kinda bailed.”

“Did you now?” Rob asked sassily.

Gumball rose two fingers into a peace sign and his smile blew wider. “Both jail and school, man. Eat your heart out.” 

Rob’s brow arched, and then he scanned the back of the book, not making eye contact with Gumball. “Why’s that?” 

“Well,” Gumball folded his hands awkwardly. “I think I just came out to my entire class and ultimately the entire school...and ultimately the entire town, probably.”

He peeked at Rob, registering how his heart kind of stopped and then sped up as he eyed the short distance between them. Gumball awaited his reaction meekly. 

“You...you did?” Rob asked, equally soft-spoken and meek.

“Yup,” Gumball put his hands on his hips. “I certainly did. In the crudest possible way, too. Look.” He held up his wrist, which sported a new addition.

“I’ve never seen one with so many charms.” Rob commented. “The again, the only ribbon I’ve seen is Billy’s.”

“Yeah, I’ll give you the tour,” Gumball sighed, cupping the closest one and leaning into Rob’s space. “The oval charms are diagnoses. This heart one is because I recovered from a brief bout of bulimia-don’t even ask. This new one means you have to watch me, because I’ve been having run-ins with the police and I’m on probation. This star one...well, you of all people must know about that.”

“The protagonist star.” Rob whispered, sounding filled with awe. Gumball wasn’t so star-struck. 

“Yep.” Gumball glanced up at him, their bodies barely apart anymore. He wondered how he would be able to control how he felt around Rob, listening to his soothing voice and feeling his warmth. “So everyone knows I was the dick in the spotlight.”

“Well, you were a huge dick.” 

“The greatest?” Gumball asked teasingly. Rob rolled his eye, returning to solemnity. 

“They really make you wear all those labels?” 

“Everywhere I go, for our sad ass world to see. They look at them at every place in town.”

“I don’t get it. It’s like being branded.”

“It’s to scare us, Rob,” Gumball explained matter-of-factly. “So we don’t go into pandemonium, they go hardcore.”

“I’m sorry I was mean to you yesterday,” Rob whispered, brushing his chestnut brown hair away from his eye. He wanted to lean in close to Gumball, and whisper in his ear. “I’m kind of a jerk.”

Gumball didn’t miss a beat, licking his lips. “As am I. Guess we mesh, don’t you think?”

“You think so?”

Gumball could hear his own breathing so distinctly right now. He hoped Rob couldn’t see the tent he was beginning to pitch.

“I have a feeling.” Gumball smiled, and Rob actually smiled back, albeit slowly. 

“So, ready for some classic literature?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it’s gonna get better...I hope


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically, more explaining happens. This’ll be the same for the next two chapters, before Robball is more at the center. 
> 
> Gumball continues to avoid his parents, and dips his toe back into masturbation. Still falling for Rob, he fears his descent. His mother surprises him by being available in the evening, where she comes home with his probation officer, inciting a new “goal” in life to put all his effort into. This highlights Gumball’s neuroticism and moodiness.

Days Later.

Their drive was quieter this time, and it wasn’t the usual kind of calm-down one. Gumball hadn’t had any outburst. 

His father had merely offered to take him out for the afternoon, so after fourth period, he picked Gumball up in the van. Gumball texted Rob to cancel their daily study session, trying to humor his dad. 

It was different, the traditional father-son ride. Gumball’s father knew he did more than simply tonguekiss now, although he hasn’t even kissed Alvie. Gumball didn’t know how he felt about his father knowing even more than he did, though. Richard was probably uncomfortable, a poor father at the wheel. Gumball himself was caught between feeling disgusting and kind of badass. Like he belonged with his unpleasant peers, and maybe belonging could save him or something of that nature.

“Did you have to throw the yoga mat up at the ceiling?” Richard asked of the morning tiredly.

“I was bored.” Gumball retorted. “You know I have no patience for yoga. Plus everyone has been up my ass lately.”

After blurting that, he realized the air seemed to tense. He swallowed, composing himself again. Great wording, Gumball. Simply fantastic. All his dad could probably think about was this his biological son was some kind of Don Juan-ish homo.

“How were your friends?”

“Boring, bland, bitchy…” 

“You’re making your mother consider homeschooling again,” Richard said, making Gumball groan and kick his legs about like a baby in protest. “And you know how she feels about that. She thinks being with other children is important, and you’re much too extroverted for homeschooling to be healthy!”

“Why doesn’t mom ever tell me how she feels herself?” Gumball huffed stubbornly, balling himself up and pouting. “She’s never around.”

“Gumball, your mother isn’t well.” 

“Well I’m not well, either!” Gumball roared. “I’m so sick of everything, and I hate everything, and I mean it!”

Richard shrunk visibly. His age was beginning to show. “Do you want to go back to school for lunch, son? I don’t think you want to be around me right now...”

“No,” Gumball answered. “And if you bring me there, I’m not going in. Drop me off at the Parham’s.”

•••

“You have got to be the WORST teacher ever.” 

“Well if you-“ Gumball pointed his finger at him, and then paused. “If you...if you were a student-!”

“I technically am, under you of all people.”

“Well if you were a goat you would be…” 

“Please stop embarrassing yourself.” 

Finally, Gumball clicked his tongue and returned to skimming the pages of “Candide.”

“Whatever.”

Rob harrumphed with a snarl. “You know, I would be a better student if you were a better teacher. You’re so impatient!”

“It’s not my fault you can’t keep up.”

This was a typical scholastic meeting for Rob and Gumball. Although their attraction towards each other was still undeniably strengthening, they were having trouble getting along with the tutoring (which Gumball had purposefully excluded Darwin from.) They may have been becoming increasingly fond of each other, in more designs than one, but that didn’t change that they often butted heads almost effortlessly. 

And while they were constantly quarreling, Gumball in particular was anxiously beginning to feel a development in his feelings towards his pupil. And he despised it, and no one could know. Not anyone. But, if he was being honest as day...

Gumball loved Rob’s wacky sense of humor, which in some regard, strongly resembled his own. He liked his backbone; Rob fought him back, calling him a nut burger, when he was messing around with him. It was nice to be challenged rather than sighed at or sent away to the naughty corner. Not only that, he liked the mystery of Rob-his mind and history (greatly intertwined with Gumball’s) was intriguing. 

Perhaps best of all, Rob actually listened to Gumball (albeit begrudgingly and judgmentally). Rob seemed to really focus in on him, and gosh, had Gumball missed the comfy, gauzy embrace of the yellow spotlight. 

“What did the Italian man say in the last chapter?” Gumball crossed his arms professionally. 

“Something about it really blowing to be without balls.” 

“And why?” 

Rob scoffed rebelliously. “Because of the girl.” 

“Why are you scoffing?” Gumball cried, pushing hair hair back. “Would you like to be without balls?”

“I don’t think he’s an important character.”

“He isn’t.” Gumball admitted rapidly. “But still. Guy lost his BaLlS.” 

“Are you seriously finding humor in this?” Rob questioned dryly. “You’re an infant.”

“Hey Debby Downer, it’s supposed to be a FUNNY story!” Gumball reminded him with a goofy laugh, sitting down next to Rob. “All this bullshit happens and you can’t sugarcoat it, but it’s still funny as fuck!”

“Some teacher.” Rob rolled his eye, turning away from Gumball as he planted himself beside him on the log.

“Some student.”

“Some mouth.” 

“I have a great mouth,” Gumball boasted. “My teeth are measured perfect, and my lips are full, see?” He shoved his fingers into his mouth, pulling his cheeks wide to show his set of straight pearly whites. “Think it’s a protagonist-hero thing?”

“That might be your opinion.” Rob answered, fake-diplomatically. 

“It might be? It is.”

As for the cyclops’ experience, he was actually impressed with how well he’d been keeping up with Gumball’s wit and snark. Usually he felt a little inadequate with other people, but Gumball seemed adroit in guiding him along-Rob guessed that it was hard not to be pulled in by his teacher’s obnoxiousness. It proved hard to hold back with someone being so blatantly outlandish. Gumball kind of felt as if he was being more of a pain than usual to compensate for his current confusion, but Rob had no idea.

“You should’ve met me as a baby,” Gumball snorted, his legs shaking excitedly. “Really mouthy. Plus I could goo goo gah gah for hours. Hours! My dad didn’t know what to do with me!”

“I can imagine.” 

“He’d call my mom up at work and beg for help!” Gumball laughed, making a phone motion by his ear for effect. “Babysitters didn’t know what to do, either. I was a little menace. Those were the days.”

“And you’re proud of it?” Rob was cracking a pretty wide grin. He looked into Gumball’s dark eyes.

“You bet your balls I am.” Gumball wiggled his fingers and then made as if he were squeezing them.

“You’re so violent.” Rob was laughing from his skinny stomach now. Gumball was in Eden.

“It’s because I’m a man, Rob.” He explained, “I have, as the young people say, swag.” Was he trying to get Rob to see him as a man, as opposed to a buddy or bro? He pulled some grass out of the ground and picked through the strands. How did boys even flirt with boys?

“Do you even know what that means?”

“No.” Gumball shrugged dismissively, ‘pffing’ yet again, as was his habit. “It means what I want it to. But anyway, you want to switch to history now? It’s my best subject.”

•••

Later in the afternoon, Rob and Peter came into the finished piece of Parham property (or as it was officially called, Harringrish) for their payments. They were chatting about Alvie’s absence, best as was possible, considering Peter’s language’s impenetrability. 

Rob noticed that today Peter was behaving much more wildly, speaking theatrically so much that Rob was really frustrated that he could barely understand him. 

They came through the hall of family photos, seemingly a thousand of them in existence, and into the kitchen where Felicity was distractedly fidgeting. 

“I can’t believe it! I hired another criminal!” Felicity wailed from her glass kitchen table, frantically wiping a mixture of snot and tears from her face. 

“Oh, but whatever is perturbing you so, mother?” Billy asked, sounding fatigued and impatient. “I have been trying to console you, and you have only-“

“Billy,” his mother started, as if it pained her, “go to your room.” 

Billy’s face fell. “But mother-“

“Now. This isn’t for you.” She demanded, seeing the teenagers in the doorway. They watched Billy retreat to some other part of the property.

Rob and Peter turned back to Felicity. She took a sip of tea. Peter softly whispered something nonsensical (as usual) to Rob. 

“Everything doesn’t seem alright.” Rob commented awkwardly.

“Oh, it isn’t!” Felicity sobbed, as Peter pulled a tissue from his pocket. He offered it sympathetically to her, and she snatched it from him carelessly. 

“That boy-that boy Alvie,” Felicity shuddered her orange shoulders. She touched a hand to her pearl necklace, seeming as if trying to soothe herself or stabilize her heartbeat. “He’s been arrested for prostitution, apparently he was caught with one of those filthy Watterson boys.”

“What?” Rob’s voice was hollow. He thought he would fall over as dread and denial gripped him. Gumball had mentioned nothing of this, although he tended to talk infrequently about his family. 

“Apparently one of the officers found Alvie being...being...oh!” Felicity massaged her head. “He found Alvie having oral sex performed on him. All the parents are so scared!” She whisper-shouted the last bit. “I called the station asking why on earth that mutt wasn’t reporting to work these past few days, and can you believe they only thought to call me today and tell me?!”

“Which boy was it?” Rob asked, Darwin and Gumball’s names running about in his head, appearing as impatient with the slow-moving world as he was. 

“I bet it’s the blue one,” Laughed Felicity Parham bitterly. “He’s always been a problem, even as a child. We all know he’s severely disturbed.”

Rob didn’t want to know more, but he had to know more. Peter tried to speak, and Rob pushed him aside. He wanted the ‘privilege’ of sitting down and drinking in every detail.

“There’s going to be a meeting about it.” Felicity sniffled loudly. “But my husband-we still haven’t divorced yet, as you know!-he still won’t come. The only time he visits is to bring Billy his little cowboy dolls or whatever.”

“Your husband?”

“He should be escorting me!” Felicity howled in anguish. “I’m the president of the PTA! I’m supposed to make all the all women look bad effortlessly!” 

“I can escort you to the meeting,” Rob tried quickly. “You can say it was to show how dedicated your workers are or something. I’m, uh, not in the loop you see, so it would really-“

“You’re right!” Her eyes sparkled with arrogant, newfound ambition. “And they’ll think I have molded an ex-con in my image! I’ll have to rent a proper suit for you, and it’s done.”

A suit? 

“They’ll think so powerfully of me! Good idea. Meet me here tomorrow evening.” She tapped him on the shoulder firmly and thankfully. Peter started to babble, and Felicity began to talk over him. 

“I’m going to take a long hot bath.” Their boss hummed with fatigue apparent in her speech. “Your payments are on the table.” 

Both boys went to retrieve their money, as Felicity vanished into the depths of her (ever growing) massive house.

•••

When Gumball got home, his mother had left him a letter, and his father was asleep. Richard had left his sleeping drugs out (amazing what this place did to people), and Gumball didn’t want to read the letter. He’d read it later, if he thought he could stomach it. 

It made Gumball feel dirty, thinking of trying what he was about to. But hey, cutting school was tough work! You had to figure out how to keep stimulated and busy without being grumpy-just happily doing things. Not having all the bitches from school around was also an adjustment, even if it was a welcomed one for Gumball.

When he was coming up the hill-street with his pail of readers at the end of city lunchtime, Leslie had tried to stop him and interrogate his ass to pieces. Gumball told Leslie to go home and suck his own cock like he always did to his parents’ sex tapes. But then Leslie told him he was gay, and so Gumball asked if he wanted a smiley sticker or something. 

He hung his pail on the hook by the door, took his ribbon off and shoved it in with what he’d been working on with Rob, and fetched that letter at the table. The house was silent, save for the soft static. He combed through his bangs in the fridge mirror for a moment, and then achieving a huge grin, raced up the steps to his room. 

Flushing, he turned the knob and bolted inside. He grabbed the window stick and twisted it until the blinds concealed the outside world, then shut the door tightly using a towel on a hanger behind the door, in between the door and the opening. Since there was no lock, this would have to do, and the necessary pressure it took to open the door would buy him time should anyone divine choose to intervene with his plans. 

Rushing onto his bed, he pulled his pants down to his knees, now face to face with his beginning hard on. Gumball propped himself up a little more using his pillow, and comfortable, took out his phone.

Using his pop socket and settling it on a firm pillow over his knees, Gumball eagerly picked up his dick from inside his boxers. He slowly began to stroke his shaft, shivering from excitement. Finally masturbating in style like he used to. Why is masturbating called masturbating anyway? 

He rolled his eyes at himself a little, trying to focus as the man on his phone rubbed around his thighs. This was the quagmire. Gumball liked to go slow, savoring his alone time, but he often got distracted by the background of the porn or the sounds his bed and body made. Hastening a little with his touch, he decided to throw out the videographed striptease idea and focus on what got him all hot and bothered in the first place. 

That would be Rob. Duh. Because not only did he do things to his loins, he also seemed to be doing things to Gumball’s heart. 

Gumball sighed silently, his lips twitching into all kinds of smirks and smiles as he imagined Rob helping out in what he was about to do next... 

With one free hand, he pulled his bottle of lube from between the wall and the bed, still stroking his enlarging cock. Uncorking it, he hazily ran through the reading he’d done yesterday in his brain. 

Pouring some into his hand, Gumball inhaled and tried to relax himself. He scooped up his cock again, trailing his sopping other hand around his virgin hole. 

“Awh,” Gumball exclaimed quietly, his chest and head getting heavy and light as he rubbed the lube around. He went around, and then with one finger, up and down. Nibbling at his upper lip and then flat-out moaning drunkenly, he gently placed a first finger inside himself. Still jacking himself off, Gumball began to whimper and close his eyes, the sensations overwhelming him. 

He imagined Rob’s fingers being inside him, brushing together. He clenched his jaw shut, sighing blissfully as another finger joined the first. “Mmm…” He imagined Rob leaning over him, trapping him with his legs wrapped around him, leaning over and making a meal of his neck. Usually Gumball hated having his neck touched, even by his family, but the idea of Rob grabbing his throat and making Gumball whimper and sputter as he animalistically sucked at his jawline made Gumball want to blow his load right then and there. “Choke me!” Sounded unbelievably pathetic, but Gumball’s stroking and fingering just got faster and more frantic as he thought about all that Rob could do to him. 

“Oh...R-Rob,” Gumball whined, his nose scrunching up as he imagined fearfully waking his father up.

The best image he concocted was their bodies pressed together, hands searching each other’s thighs and everywhere, pushing and taunting their dicks together. He pictured the glistening sweat, the heat radiating, the desire. The need.

“A-a-ahhh, I need you-u-u..! Ah!” Trains of cum shot out of Gumball, who fell back into his pillow with a dreamy expression on his face. He was a little embarrassed by how fast that was, not to mention kind of disappointed in himself. 

•••

Gumball didn’t really know what to do with himself now. Sure, he felt great after that orgasm- but his connection to Rob was worrying him. He loved being around him, but developing feelings for him was frightening. He knew Rob wasn’t homophobic, but he didn’t know if he liked men. This was all going a little fast-which would’ve been all fine and dandy had he been Elmorian Gumball-but now he was Voidian Gumball, and life was one big plank walk.

Life here was anxiety and fear. Disappointment and sorrow. That’s why he was so addicted to porn not so long ago, and everyone knew. Good for them. They should know the truth. 

And he’d sworn off affection, and partiality, and love from anyone outside his family. Even then, they weren’t too cuddly. He didn’t even feel like he was alive sometimes, or that love was worth finding and nourishing at all. When he’d fallen for Penny, it was love at first sight. That was a child’s thing. But this thing with Rob was inevitably going to be more than that, if it was left to fester.

Now there was so much less in life, but there was so much more in Gumball, and it scared him shitless. 

Life was not romantic, so how did one get swept up in anything? Romance seemed like a tease, an escape act, in a place like The Void. Not even enough to see the world through rose glasses. You couldn’t possibly. 

•••

When his siblings came home, they hung their tin pails by his. They immediately had snacks, then returned to their pails and fished out their materials and assignments. 

“What is that smell?” Darwin asked, wrinkling his nose as Gumball came trudging into the dining room.

Gumball stole a stick of his strawberry Pocky. “Dunno.” His brother rolled his eyes at him, then froze up in static. Served him right. 

His mother arrived half an hour through homework time, Gumball’s coffee-cup probation officer coming behind her. Nicole skillfully tossed her light purse onto the shelf over her shoulder. 

“You have a...very impressive security system, Mrs. Watterson.” The property was covered in gates, a whole dome a hundred feet high, cameras attached to all corners. Almost like a jail, creepily enough, but cleaner. “I remember when the plan was first put forward, years ago.”

“Your officials quite generously gifted it to us,” Nicole smiled shortly, sighing as if wistful. “Considering our history. Not that it isn’t practically mandatory, since my baby has been subject to so many inappropriate advances and stalkers.”

“I’ve heard.” The Officer mused. “Must be very tense on the whole family.” 

“I just don’t get it, you know?” Mrs. Watterson said, coming out of the fridge with a wine glass of orange juice. “Oh, he’s a beautiful boy, Ms. Wilder, but it’s like we’re not well liked. It’s been this way for so long, both girls and boys...they’re fascinated by him, each for their own reason. They all want a piece of him.”

She smirked tartly. “Of course, there’s the core reason.”

“There haven’t been any more issues, have there?”

“Not as of late.” Nicole said. “Thank gosh.”

The officer cleared her throat, smiling and nodding politely. “He’s very lucky he’s so loved. The relationships between children and their folks here can seem so...artificial. I see it in my work at the station all the time.” 

Gumball had been listening carefully, wondering when he would be more directly involved, as he undoubtedly would be. His mother hadn't even spoken to him about what had happened with Alvie Jasperson. She had been going to sleep every night the instant she got home. 

However, tonight, Nicole gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“Sorry I didn’t say hi sooner, Gummypuss,” she cooed. Becoming semi-serious again, she returned to Officer Wilder. “Please, be seated, Ms. Wilder.”

Ms. Wilder thanked her, as Nicole returned Darwin to life from the static. Anais closed her notebook silently.

“I don’t have a kid myself, but from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, Silvergate offers a more laidback Montessori education, combined with therapy.” The woman was very elegant, facing him from the other side of the table. “Is that correct?” 

“Yes ma’am.” Gumball replied. “And the afternoon, it’s just typical...all STEM and Mandarin.”

“Do you find the program effective?” 

“I mean, no one’s killing themselves.” 

Ms. Wilder watched the siblings do their homework, all except Gumball. Darwin and Anais were finishing up, touching up their penmanship just for the hell of it. 

“Funny how the children walk around with little buckets, isn’t it?” Ms. Wilder noted, slightly changing the subject.

“Well I suppose the pails make more sense,” Nicole shrugged. “They don’t need backpacks, we can use those for better things. I use them for groceries. Pails are also cheaper if you lose them.” 

“Comes across as prehistoric to me, though.”

“That’s fair.” Nicole whistled shortly to herself. “But let’s face it, this place is kind of a dead end.” 

“Why are you here?” Gumball asked Ms. Wilder finally, putting his chin into his hands. 

“Please excuse him, he’s so impatient,” Nicole chuckled nervously, pulling him into a side hug and rubbing his shoulder. Kind of to herself more than to Gumball or anyone else, she muttered “God, you smell.”

“No, I understand his anxiousness. It’s our first meeting to discuss what exactly we’re going to do with the...situation at hand.” Ms. Wilder cleared her throat again. God, this woman must have quite a bit phlegm. “To put it bluntly, it’s going to involve extended therapy, plus community service work or a job.” 

“I’m a tutor.” Gumball said immediately, detesting the idea of a rigid schedule. “That’s service. I’m dedicating my experience. It’s even at the same time everyday, what’s that called?” 

“Consistency?” Anais asked.

“Yeah, thanks, sis.”

“Oh, you are?” Ms. Wilder asked when she could get a word in. “That’s very nice. Is that why you were at the Parham’s today? I saw that you submitted your location to me at the jailhouse.”

“The Parham’s?” Nicole asked, evidently in the dark. “Submitted what?”

“Yeah, I’m tutoring Rob.” Gumball said as if it meant nothing. “And my location, mom. I wrote her a note saying where I would be for lunch-.”

“Who is Rob?” The women asked together. By now, Darwin and Anais had stopped working and were lingering attentively. 

Gumball laughed with exhaustion. “Superintendent Evil. He lives in the draft house, over in the old Void. He works for Miss Parham.” It was actually pretty sad how no one seemed to know shit about Rob. Plus it was getting tiring always having to explain who he was. 

Ms. Wilder hummed in thoughtful, absorbent surprise. 

“He’s doing well, too,” Gumball said, brightening ever so gently. “His strength seems to be in math, which is good, because I’m terrible with math. But he’s kind of a jack of all trades too.”

Before one knew it, Gumball had catapulted the little crowd into a one-sided discussion about Rob and how great he was. Gumball covered his performance in all the subjects they had covered, going over their breaks that comprised of Rob drawing wonderfully, and Rob’s favorite parts of “Candide.” Gumball went over Rob’s humor and how funny he was, how smart he was, and what he intended to do to help Rob’s adjustment come fall. 

“This Rob…” Ms. Wilder started carefully when Gumball took a breathing break. “You two seem to get along very well. It’s nice to see.”

“You know what? That’s the best part.” Gumball said, trying to seem cool and casual, with a sort of swagger. Even his voice was a little deeper, his eyes seeming dreamy. “We do get along, I think we get along great, even perfectly.” 

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“What?” Gumball asked in shock, brow arched, mouth hanging and all. His cool had dropped. Gumball didn’t see them, but his siblings were eagerly waiting for his response, Darwin seeming to hold an air of suspicion. 

Boyfriend? The idea had never hit him before. He was totally having feelings for Rob, but the idea of actually being Rob’s boyfriend hadn’t yet hit him-and now it was, as he seemed to repeat “Rob’s boyfriend” over and over in his mind. It felt like he was getting his calling, like a nun. He tuned everything out, a near out of body experience, adventure soaring once again in his blood. Perhaps even for the last time.

No matter! This seemed too good to resist.

Gumball’s new life purpose...goal...had been discovered, and that goal was to become Rob’s boyfriend

“Boyfriend? Ah, no way!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls review if you have questions or just wanna talk my insta is @probablygumball

**Author's Note:**

> so I never said this would be well written but it’s gonna be hella juicy with drama and it’s gonna be a good ass whack ass time ok
> 
> I promise everything will get explained!! Review if you have any pressing questions! :0)


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